Chapter 14: What Arthur Fears
“OLIVIA, what are you doing?”
“Saying thank you to the mum while I fertilize it now that it’s done flowering.”
“That’s called a mum?”
“Yep. Cute, isn’t it? I used to love mum fritters, but I didn’t eat any this year.”
“What? You can eat that?”
“You sure can. I’m pretty sure you can eat most plants, so long as they’re not poisonous.”
Arthur stopped sharpening the knife he’d been working on and looked at Olivia. She then repeated herself as if she were reasoning with a child.
“You can eat them as long as they’re not poisonous.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You didn’t look like you believed me. Mum leaves and flowers are both wonderful if you batter them, fry them, and sprinkle them with a bit of salt.”
Wouldn’t it just be the batter and oil that tastes good? thought Arthur, but he didn’t say anything. He went back to sharpening the knife. Unless there was some huge conflict in their difference in opinion, he’d keep his mouth shut and just listen. He was a man of few words in general anyway.
Olivia watched him and thought, You know what, maybe I’ll make some fried food. It’s been a while.
Once Arthur left for work that day, Olivia took Rob and went to the river. River fish was one of the prime examples of food that tasted great when you battered and fried it. She had plenty of fish bait in the form of worms she collected from the garden. They got to the river, Rob’s steps filled with enjoyment, and Olivia cast her line into the water.
As she watched it float, a kingfisher dived from a branch on the other side of the river into the water, then came back up to sit on a branch and eat the small fish it had clamped in its beak. The kingfisher was easy to spot with the metallic gleam of its blue back.
I don’t know why, but I feel so lucky on days I see a kingfisher, thought Olivia, the corners of her mouth turning up.
Around the time she’d fished up three trout, she sensed what could only be described as “slight concern.” It was the emotion of some animals worrying about something.
Oh no.
Run.
Danger!
Olivia slowly scanned the area, wondering where it was coming from and if there was some danger. She kept her vision wide, not focusing on any particular thing, her eyes vaguely taking in the area around her. She slowly moved them, making sure she’d pick up immediately on any movement.
Ah, there it is.
There were brown animals on the other side of the river. She focused her eyes on them to see river otters. The otters were running up the sloping bank of the river, looking behind them several times as they did. Something seemed to be coming on the water.
Could have been dangerous if it had been a bear. They’re eating like crazy right now getting ready for hibernation. I should go home.
She quickly disassembled her fishing rod and put it in her grandfather’s handmade carrying case.
After thinking for a moment, she called quietly, “Rob! Time to go,” then began walking with him. As they walked, she took a quick look back and saw it, the large brown mass far bigger than a human. A bear.
It was upwind of them and hadn’t yet noticed them.
We need to get out of here before the wind shifts, Olivia thought, then commanded Rob to stay quiet.
Rob had already noticed the bear, and his fur stood on end.
Olivia stepped gently on the stones along the river, trying not to make a sound as she ever so quietly put distance between her and the bear. Her grandparents had warned her over and over that if you run and the bear chases you, you have no way of winning a contest of speed. She held her breath as she moved, letting it out in a woosh when she felt they’d made it a good enough distance away.
“Rob, you’re such a good boy.”
“Woof!”
“I’ll give you a treat for being so clever when we get home.”
“Woof!”
They hurried on, then she gave Rob a treat of boiled dark meat pork.
Olivia was planning not to tell Arthur about her encounter with the bear. It would just worry him. All she had to do was stay away from the river until winter.
And so, when she was frying up the trout that evening, it was really rather careless of her to think, That bear was huge, though.
She set the piping-hot fried fish fillets on the table, and Arthur, who normally would have been ecstatic about such a feast, ate in silence.
Hm? Does he not like it? thought Olivia. Maybe he’s not in the mood for fried food.
She tried telling him about something she heard from a customer. “It’s a good thing that illness didn’t cause too much trouble around here,” she said. “But I was thinking next year, I might harvest bitter potatoes little by little then make them into flour so they can be stored, ready to use whenever we need it.”
“Good idea.”
“Arthur… Is something wrong? Are you feeling all right?”
“Let’s talk after we finish eating.”
“Sure…”
They finished their dinner in silence, washed the dishes together, and put them away on the shelf.
“Olivia, sit down,” said Arthur.
“All right.” Olivia wondered what this was about as she sat down across from him.
He took a deep breath then said, “Olivia, why didn’t you tell me about running into the bear?”
“Oh…”
“I thought I asked you not to go to the river since the bears are hungry because it’s right before they go into hibernation.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say I ran into a bear. I realized there was one a little way off and I got out of there before it noticed me.”
Arthur let out a long sigh, his expression intense. “You just happened to be the one who noticed the other first. The bear might be the one to notice you first, too.”
“Well… Yes, I suppose.”
“What would you’ve done if it attacked? Do you know how fast bears run? A bear could catch me in the blink of an eye even if I was running as fast as I could.”
“I know.”
“And there’s no point climbing trees, bears can climb, too.”
“I’m sorry, Arthur. I won’t go to the river alone again.”
“You said that before!”
“Yeah…”
“I just… I don’t want to dig any more graves for my family!”
BANG!
Arthur slammed the table with no other outlet for his anger. Rob jumped and whined, his tail swinging back and forth slightly as he looked up at Arthur with puppy-dog eyes.
Olivia felt a sting of pain in her heart when she felt Rob going, I sorry. I make you angry? so she told him, “It’s all right, Rob. He’s not angry at you,” as she patted his head.
Then she stood and moved over to Arthur, gently slipped her arm around his shoulders, and plunked her head against his.
She felt all sorts of mixed emotions flowing from him, like a murky stream. Sorrow, unease, loneliness, real fear that he was going to lose Olivia.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “When I was a child, I’d go fishing at the river regardless of the season. I was careless. I promise I won’t do it again. I’m sorry, I really am.”
“The fried trout was really good.”
“Yeah?”
“I wasted it, though. Couldn’t really taste it ’cause I was angry while I was eating.”
“Yeah…”
“The next day off, I’ll come with you. If you really want to go fishing, let’s do it on my day off.”
“All right. But I can just wait until the bears go into hibernation.”
“Thank you, I appreciate it. I’m sorry I slammed the table.”
“It’s all right. I’m the one who broke a promise then hid it from you.”
They stayed like that for a while. Then, when Arthur regained his composure, he put his arm around Olivia’s waist, pulled her onto his lap, and rested his head on her shoulder.
“When I was a mercenary,” he said, “I once ran into a bear. It was around this same time of year, too. We looked into each other’s eyes, and I just wanted to run.”
“Yeah?”
“But my squadmates attacked out of fear, swinging their swords at it.”
“Oh…”
“They slashed at it. It got worked up and attacked back. After that…it was like war. Three mercenaries died because of it.”
Olivia fell quiet.
“And these were mercenaries. Fighting was their job.”
“Yeah.”
“Bears… They just tear you apart with those thick limbs and razor-sharp claws. If they get your neck, you die from all the blood loss. If they get your stomach, you die in utter agony. I’ve been scared of bears ever since. I know you can feel what animals are feeling, but that doesn’t mean you can control them, right?”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“So, please, try not to do anything that’ll make me worry. I feel like it’ll cut years off my life.”
“I wouldn’t want that. I’m sorry.”
“I want to live a long life with you.”
“I know.”
“All right. Let’s call this conversation done. I could do with a cup of cherry tea. I’ll make it.”
“Could you make some for me, too?”
“Sure thing.”
Seeing the tension ease between the two of them, Rob slowly went back to his bed.
While she was drinking the tea Arthur prepared, Olivia thought, When was the last time I got scolded like that?
As far as she could remember, she’d never been scolded once since she’d been adopted. She was an obedient child, and her grandparents rarely got worked up. She was very grateful for the easy-going love of her grandparents, but she was also grateful for Arthur’s love, the sort that caused him to worry so much he was beside himself with anger.
She felt both sorry for worrying him and grateful. This was her first time ever feeling grateful after being scolded.
The next day, Louise came to eat. They chatted about what happened after they finished, and Louise looked at Olivia with affection.
“How sweet,” she said. “You don’t meet many people in life that will get worked up out of concern for you.”
“I know.”
“On a different note, I heard about your work in the capital. You did such a good job, dear.”
“I didn’t do anything. It was one of the soldiers that caught on to the effects of the bitter potatoes.”
“Even so, you have to be impressed at how fortunate you were to bring them along. I wish I could tell Marguerite about it.”
“I’m sure she’s watching.”
“You’re right. I do feel like she’s there.”
With that, Louise left, reminding Olivia she could come to her if she was ever in trouble.